Geraldine
South Island, Canterbury
With New Zealand’s Southern Alps in the backdrop, pretty Geraldine is a rural Canterbury hub with a creative flair. Galleries and studios dot its town center while surrounding farms supply bustling cafés with fresh ingredients. It’s also a jumping-off place for exploring the outdoors, from the rushing Rangitata River to Aoraki/Mount Cook National Park (Te Wahipounamu).
The basics
Geraldine’s attractions include a bustling farmers market, the tiny Geraldine Historical Museum, and the Geraldine Vintage Car & Machinery Club Museum. Some travelers use Geraldine as a rural base camp for visiting its surrounding high peaks, rivers, forests, and farms. With galleries, tasting rooms, and cafés, Geraldine is included in many guided tours of the region, where travelers can also visit destinations such as Aoraki/Mount Cook, Lake Tekapo, Tasman Glacier, Queenstown, and Christchurch.
Things to know before you go
There is a 2-hour, self-guided tour of Geraldine’s 27 heritage sites for those interested in learning about Maori and settler history.
Options for food, drink, and sightseeing make Geraldine a perfect stopover on the nearly 6-hour drive between Christchurch and Queenstown.
Free public restrooms are located on Cox Street.
How to get there
Geraldine is located on State Highway 79 on the South Island of New Zealand. From Geraldine, it’s 86 miles (138 kilometers) to Christchurch, 119 miles (192 kilometers) to Aoraki/Mount Cook, and 214 miles (344 kilometers) to Queenstown. While Timaru’s Richard Pearse Airport is just 30 minutes away, the closest major airport is Christchurch Airport. Daily bus service links Geraldine with regional hubs.
When to get there
Plenty of dry, sunny days mean the summer months of December, January, and February are popular times to visit Geraldine for hiking, river rafting, and sightseeing. Market stalls, open gardens, and art exhibitions are a draw to the annual Harcourts Geraldine Festival in November. If you’re planning a ski trip to the nearby Southern Alps, visit during the snowy season, from July to October.
What to do in New Zealand’s Canterbury region
With high-mountain glaciers and east-coast beaches, the Canterbury region includes some of the South Island’s most accessible adventures. Surrounded by the Southern Alps’ rugged peaks and ski slopes, Aoraki/Mount Cook is the highest point in the country. There’s also bright-blue Lake Tekapo, the Kaikoura Seal Colony, and whale watching in Kaikoura. Canterbury's largest city, Christchurch is home to the Canterbury Museum, the Christchurch Botanic Gardens, Willowbank Wildlife Reserve, International Antarctic Centre, and more.
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